We're Here Now and This is True
by EmptyUniverse
Summary: Collection of Outlaw Queen Hood Mills Family One shots. (most take place after the 4b finale unless otherwise stated)
1. Going Home

Robin buckles a sleepy Roland into his carseat, and closes the sliding car door. He lets out a breath as Regina comes from putting Zelena in the bug, She looks at him and sarcastically bites, "Are you sure you don't want to ride with her, she might be scared." He gives her an angry unforgiving look, "Regina."

She gets into the driver's side as he settles himself into the the passenger seat. Regina puts the keys in the ignition but doesn't turn the car on just yet. She pauses and sighs, then quietly speaks, "Robin- I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that." She doesn't look him in the eye, looks straight out the window, to the yellow bug in front of them pulling away from the curb, when it's out of sight, Robin lays everything out on the table.

"No, I need to get this off my chest." She finally looks at him, after avoiding him since the news dropped that he had moved on."I should have fought for you, I should have never given up and found a way back to you somehow." Her hands gripping the steering wheel hard.

"You stayed for Roland, I can't blame you for that." Her hand reaches to turn the key and start the ignition, She glances in her rearview to make sure that Roland was sound asleep before they continued this conversation. Looking over her shoulder to look for oncoming traffic she pulls the car out of park and they start off on what it sure to be a long and stressful drive back to Maine.

Robin continues, He too now focused on the road; on the cars travelling around them. "And where did it lead him? he's without his mother again, I let Zelena take everything."

Regina sighs. She doesn't want to have this conversation again. it seems like they spent all evening in the bar talking about this- she is done talking about _this,_ "You didn't know it was her- none of us did."

Robin doesn't stop talking- doesn't stop griping about what happened. "But I _should_ have, Regina." Robin looks down into his lap, at his hands, he's ashamed, she thinks- _he should be_ "I should have known that she wasn't my Marian, and because of that I not only failed you but I failed her as well." It's this revelation that has Regina shifting her mood, maybe she had been too hard on him when she learned that he'd moved on with her - or rather who he believed to be her.

She looked at him then took her eyes off the road for a quick moment, taking him in. His sorrow and guilt evident in his face and how he was now slumped over himself. She too felt guilt, "You can't keep blaming yourself." Guilt for letting another man she loved get hurt for loving her, "Had you not been with me in the first place, Zelena would have reason to try to take you from me. This is my fault." There was so much left unsaid when he left. So much hanging on the idea of _them._ Regina had spent weeks after he left telling herself that this is what she deserved. Robin choosing her was fate's cruel trick, then shortly after it was ripped away; she was a villain and 'villains don't get happy endings' she told herself time and time again. A stray tear rolls down Regina's cheek and dips into her lap.

"No, Regina don't think like that."Robin looks up, wants to comfort her, but can't due to them being on the road, on the way back to Storybrooke- Where all this mess started. He has to say something to make her feel reassured, "I don't regret loving you. I would choose you again and again despite what anyone would do to tear us apart." Regina sniffs, takes one hand off the wheel to wipe away tears that have started to run lines down her cheeks, pooling at her jaw and then falling to wet the fabric of her expensive dress.

"I bet that's what Zelena was counting on when she - when she did what she did."

For a while they just sit in silence, the streetlights along the freeway casting shadows in the van until the road turns into a single lane highway and signs start saying they are close to home. They are both tired, The stop at a gas station along the way to pick up coffee to get them through the rest of the journey overnight, it's where they catch catch up with Emma and her yellow car. The blonde asks Regina if she's okay and she just mutters "yeah." They don't stop for long, soon they are back on the road closing this distance between the last traces of this world and back to the sanctuary of Storybrooke.

It's late or early depending on how you want to look at it and Regina is running on very little sleep. There is still a tension that hangs between them- things still left unresolved from that day he sun is starting to peak over the horizon when they stop to cross the town line. Regina checks to see if Zelena's magic is still restrained. When she gets back into the car, Robin is waiting for her.

They drive through the magical barrier and can feel the change in the air when they cross back into Storybrooke, when they are through Robin looks at her and confesses, "I love you, Regina." It's what he was going to say the day he left. When they were standing right here along the town line two months ago. So much has changed since then, the whole world has changed since then. "I never stopped loving you. maybe that's why I was so desperate to make it work with her, I didn't want to live my whole life missing you." his voice is sure, there is no doubt in what he says, the guilt gone; replaced by something that sounds like

"I wanted to forget you because I couldn't stand living the rest of my life knowing that I could never see you again."

"But now you have a baby, with - with _her"_ She feels like she can deal with this easier now that they are almost home; no longer in the cold and strange world outside of _her_ town, it doesn't take the ire from her voice though. "I know." Robin are stuck in this horrible, unthinkable situation now and will be from here on out, 'it's a lifetime commitment' Regina had said earlier in the the bar.

They start driving again, Robin continues, "when I thought Marian was pregnant I thought that maybe it was a second chance. Someone that I could pour my love into and help me heal. I could have loved that child, with all my heart, it would have made me feel like losing you was somehow bearable. Now- it will be a terrible reminder of the horrible mistake I made. " All the things he could find words for before now spilling from him like water from a burst dam.

Regina could feel all the feelings welling up again, anger, hurt, betrayal, desperation. "What about me? was I to live forever alone?"

"No. I would have wanted you to love again. to find someone who deserves you."They turn into main street, past Gold's shop. Regina can see the clock tower on top of the library just down the street. 8:15 am - It's been a long forty eight hours. but all of that is behind them now.

"But fate?-"

Robin interrupts, "Is only a tool for us to find happiness. If we lost one another, we would have to move on." They pull up the curb in front of Granny's Diner, but neither of them move to get out just yet. They watch as Emma gets out of the car and runs to hug her pirate. "Your right."

"What are we going to do about the baby?"

"We?" Robin questions. There is hope in his voice - _Of course there is,_ "does this mean there is still a chance for - _Us?"_ She loves him still despite what happened- with all her heart. She can't keep punishing herself. Thoughts run through her head as to why they can no longer be together but the loudest - the young part says _why not? there is nothing stopping them,_ no formerly dead wife, no honor code. They are free to be together, they always were - the thought makes Regina's blood boil. _Damn you Zelena_.

Robin seems to be in the same mindframe as her, "We could raise this baby together, you and me, and Henry and Roland. There is nothing stopping us from being a family, not even Zelena." It's what convinces her. If she doesn't give him another chance, forgive of what happened then Zelena wins, she would have succeeded in her sick and twisted plan. Denying herself what she always wanted - what she still wants, would only be hurting herself.

"I want that. to be a family." Regina coincides.

"It will be showing her that she can't take anything more away from us. no matter how hard she tries we are in this together." Robin continues. He reaches over and gives her hand a squeeze and she doesn't let go of him, looks down at their joined hands. _if I went back to Marian it would be living a lie -_ She remembers him telling her the day he was forced to leave. That's what he'd been doing, living a lie. but they were back here now. _We are here now and this is true -_ He once told her. He'd turned his whole life upside down for her, forgave her knowing exactly who she was and the horrors she'd done in her would she be if she couldn't forgive him?, couldn't love him despite his flaws?, she'd be no better than she was in the past.

She lets out a breath and answers,"yes."

They hear Roland waking in the the backseat. Regina spots Henry in the crowd, gets out to go a greet him before she gets out of the car she gives Robin confirmation of her feelings,

Robin steps out on the curb behind her, Henry offers him a cheerful 'welcome back' before hugging him -She's not the only one who missed him apparently. Regina feels a tugging at her heart, she'd wanted this for Henry for so long, a father figure for him. A family- _not just her._ She thinks about what Robin had said- _could this actually work?_ she would have to forgive him completely. Robin walks back to the van and reaches inm unclipping Roland from his car seat and lifting him up, the boy clings to his father. Regina takes a few steps towards them, Robin notices her and puts a hand on her elbow. His touch is comforting.

"I'm going to get some breakfast into him, before he gets cranky." Emma begins to pull Zelena from the car. Charming approaches her, says something about taking her to the police station but Regina has a better idea. She needs to intervene quick.

"Okay. I'll make sure Zelena is put somewhere she can't do anymore damage to us until we can figure out a permanent situation." She says goodbye to Robin but feels like there is still something that she'd better say now, before she doesn't get the chance again, before she loses him again somehow.

"Robin" He stops and turns to face her, Roland in his arms hands around his neck. He looks at her and waits,

"I love you too." The words she's been holding in for months now, roll off her tongue. He smiles at her tells her he will see her again soon, and she feels light again like this whole mess never happened. She has the love of her life back. This isn't going to be easy, and it's certainly not ideal. But they are together and no matter what they are going to try and make this work, because they are a family.


	2. Breakfast

When Regina woke all her muscles were stiff, whatever it was that attacked her- _the darkness_ ; had taken a toll on her body. Memories of what happened assaulted her brain. it was like being torn apart from the inside out, every happy moment was replaced with something dark- _fear. How could Rumple have lived with this for all those years and - oh god- Emma._

Memories of Emma, holding up the dagger, the darkness tearing her apart too until she was gone, replaced with a dagger with 'Emma Swan' written on the all stood there in silence just staring, disbelieving; it all happened so fast. Henry had chosen to stay with his grandparents apartment, he wanted to be close to what little was left of his other mother. Regina had gone back to her mansion alone, despite Robin's attempt to stay with her - _I watched you die and then that happened, I just want to make sure you are safe_ he had argued with her but she needed time alone, to sleep; to process everything.

She heard pots and pans clattering in the kitchen downstairs. _Maybe Henry is home_ , she thought. Pulling on her grey cotton robe over her 2 piece pajama set she made her way down the stairs, when she turned the corner she saw Robin breaking an egg into a frying pan.

Surprised but not entirely, she walked into the kitchen to greet him,"Good morning," stopping at the island in the centre of the room and leaning over it. Her voice was still gruff from sleep and her hair was likely still a mess, but he flipped the concoction in the pan and looked at her, smiled at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, despite her no makeup and bedhead.

"How did you get in here?" he didn't need to give her an answer simply a look that reminded her that his previous occupation was a _thief. - I really need to make him a key,_ she concludes.

"I needed to check up and see how you were doing this morning." Regina felt her heart swell up a bit, but then guilt flooded through her, as much as she was relieved to have Robin back they still were working through things. it was one thing to forgive and move on but it was another to forget what had happened in the last few months.

Having Marian return, Robin's honor- _his obligation_ she reminded herself and the child that they would now have to raise out of the most unpleasant of circumstances but they were here now- Together, and he's now standing in her kitchen making an omelet that smells absolutely delicious.

"you're making breakfast?"

"It's the least I could do." She slid her arms off the countertop straightening herself up, she closed the distance between them, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, he leaned down and captured her lips is a quick kiss, she could get used to this, "This is not exactly the circumstances I'd hoped." he gave her little grin that she happily returned. I suppose he could keep his previous offer now, there was nothing else standing in the way of them being happy, spending every morning waking up to his voice, his kisses.

"How did Henry take the news?" another surge of guilt. As much as she wanted to protect Emma from darkness for their son's sake she could not, it was Emma's choice, and deep down she knows that there was no other way- reminded himself that Emma is the savior - a hero if anyone could survive this it would be her, and Regina couldn't bring herself to shatter his hope even if she had her doubts.

"Not very well" She broke away from him embrace, he turned and moved the omelet he was cooking to a plate, still listening to her intently while he finished the task of preparing her breakfast. "He was upset that he destroyed the quill, he thought maybe he could change what happened."

Regina sets to work making coffee to go along with their breakfast, she goes to the cupboard and retrieves the french press. Takes the coffee beans from a jar on the counter and puts three scoops into the grinder. takes a kettle over to the sink and absently fills it with water. She is still so tired - _the coffee will help_ "He couldn't actually do that could he?" Robin asks from behind her.

"No. At least I don't think so." She puts the kettle on the burner that was still warm from the pan with the eggs, which Robin had conveniently taken to the sink. When he's finished putting the dishes in the sink he sits at the kitchen island and watches her. when the water is boiled she puts the grinds and the water in the press and lets it steep. There is silence between them, neither of them have an answer to help Emma. So the conversation shifts to something more pressing for their attention "Are you ready for today?" Regina asks as she pulls two mugs out of the cupboard and brings them to meet him. he hands her a fork and she takes a bite of her now almost cold omelet.

Robin slouches, looks at the countertop,"Yes, It will be hard but , it will be closure." He pours himself a cup of coffee, black. He's going to need it, she thinks finishing a few more bites of her food. He reaches his hand across the table and grabs hers, squeezes. "You know, she would have liked you." He looks at her and their eyes meet. She'd met who she thought was Marian but it turns out she never did meet her.

"Yeah?' Without the threat of Marian hanging over their heads, Regina feels more curious to know who she actually was, not Zelena's paltry impression of her. It's okay to honor Marian, Robin had loved her. Zelena had taken her away from him, but she didn't take his memories. Regina feels a connection with the Marian he lost, something kindred.

"you have the same fiery spirit." He smiles. it;s her turn to give his hand a reassuring squeeze. She knows he needs this. Needs it to make sense of what happened, to find some closure in this mess. "Things would have been different if it had really been my Marian. She would have understood." There is no point in trying to talk him out of his guilt, she'd tried on the way back from New York, tried to tell him this wasn't his fault but he needed to bear the guilt, still needs to feel some sort of penance for his choices. She won't let him wallow in it not today.

"She sounds lovely" Regina says genuinely.

"She was." His pain reads on his face."I wish Roland could have known her."

 _No_ \- she can't have him feeling like this not when he has to be strong today if only for his son's sake. They had wiped Roland's memories of who he's thought was his mother, for the best. Now moving forward they would all honor Marian through remembering her even if it meant an empty grave and a headstone with her name carved into it- _and happy memories_ "He will, you just have to keep her memory alive for him."

"This memorial was a good idea." He finally agrees.

"Who's watching Roland?" Regina cleans up the rest of the dishes half full cups of coffee that have gone cold, on her plate with only a few bites taken out of it. Neither of them have had quite the appetite since they returned the other day. Probably for the best, with emotions running high. Everyone still reeling after the chaotic events of the last few days.

"Granny offered."

Robin stands and pulls Regina into his arms again. Nesting his head in the junction of her neck and shoulder. She wraps her arms around his shoulders in turn. his muscles are tight under his skin - a massage would probably do him some good. she lets herself sink into him. lets all the tension melt away as it seems to do when they are close, When he lifts his head to brush his nose against hers she can't help but tease. "She has a soft spot for you. it must be the dimples."


	3. Lost Hope

_After seeing the leaked 4x20 deleted scene from the Season 4 DVD, I know I had to write more of what happened that we didn't get to see. This is between the arrival back in storybrooke and before Regina steals the author from Gold's company. I suppose it would also fall after my other 4x20 One shot Going Home._

* * *

Robin pulls open drawer after drawer in her office looking for the little vial with the question mark on it, until he finally sees it, but what is underneath it makes his heart sink into his stomach.

The page that had appeared to him in the library, torn up, then meticulously taped back together. She had given up hope, he realizes then that he should never have left.

Her words echoing in his head - _If you think it's that easy._

She is right it's not going to be easy.

At that moment Regina paces into the room out of breath, Roland asleep, propped up on the couch, she searches the room for Robin until she sees him.

Looking up at her arrival, "Is she-" Robin starts before she interrupts him, "-Yes, I locked her up in the basement of the hospital, even put up a protection spell so no one can open the door."

"Good." It's been along time since the last time they were alone in this room, when Robin had admitted in a roundabout way that he loved her. It's fitting that all of their big moments seem to happen here. They need to talk to figure this out, better here, than in a strange cold world.

"Did you find the potion?" Regina asks.

"Yes." he holds up the restored piece of paper, " I also found this." Robin says gravely.

When she sees it she lets out a defeated sigh,"You weren't supposed to see that."

Robin looks down at his hands, page 23 in one, forgetting potion in the other. The realization at what she must have thought about doing, thinking about taking the potion to forget him. But she didn't, no she couldn't let go. More guilt, anchors itself in his heart; he remembers pushing delete on his phone, watching the last hope he had of reaching her, of seeing her smile, vanish.

" I know what it's like to lose hope." He sets the vial, and the page down, and makes a move towards her. "But there is nothing in our way now." He leans in to be close to her but she pulls away, walks around him, hands on her hips.

"There is still one way we can be happy."determination replacing all other emotions. "I need to find the author and make him write my sister out of the book." Robin has no sympathy for Zelena, not really, not after the realization that she'd killed Marian and pretended to be her. She had manipulated him, it didn't feel right, he knows that know but he'd slept with who he thought was his wife and now she, not Marian, was carrying his child. A flicker of helplessness flashes through his mind a single thought - _would it be so bad?_

"Regina, there has to be another way." Robin concedes to himself that no matter how bad Zelena or this situation is, The baby she's carrying, his child, deserves better. It deserves a good upbringing with parents that could love it and teach it goodness. There was no other person living that he pictured himself being a family with other than the woman standing in front of him."We can raise the baby together." her only response is a sigh, then she lifts a hand to her temple. he doesn't wait for an answer before he continues, "There is nothing stopping us from being a family, Regina."

Her answer isn't a no."Robin, She will never stop. Do you really think she will let us raise the baby?" Yes, the answer so clear in his mind is yes, it has to be there is no other option, they won't give her an _option_. This is _his_ child, he has more say he thinks. if he wanted to take the child away from it's psychopath of a mother then nothing can stop him.

"We're not going to give her a choice." Regina says defiantly.

"As long as she lives, she won't let us be happy." He allows himself a flicker of hope. She still believes in _us._ His illusion is quickly shattered when she follows her reply with, "I'm doing this with or without you."

"Regina, wai-t" She's gone, magically disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke, before Robin has a chance to finish. He knew he needed to go after her before it was too late.


	4. Helpless (Dimples Brigade)

_A very small Dimples Brigade drabble that refused to leave my head until I put it down in writing. I think I'm trying to deal with the fact that canon will likely not touch upon Robin's feelings about the whole Zelena pregnancy storyline mess, so I need to come to terms with it through him._

-/-

Roland carried a little bundle of fur in his hands.

"Look what I found!" he called to his father.

When Robin, noticed the animal, he said. "Roland what did I tell you." striding towards his son, when he reached him, squatted and took the baby from Roland's chubby fingers, "Where did you find it?"

Roland pointed to a nurse log a few feet away, "found it in a hole, under a fern."

"Roland, this bunny is still a baby and needs it's mother, you can't just take it away from it's home."

"I'm sorry daddy."

"It's alright my boy. just be mindful in the future."

"Okay."

You can't just take a baby away from it's mother. Robin's code reminded him of that fact, his daily reminder that his children would never know their mothers. God's cruel trick . No, not the act of God, the act of a witch.

As he placed the rabbit back into the hole Roland had found in, it quickly disappeared back into the burrow, he could faintly see it's little black eyes peering back, a wiggle of it's nose. He made a mental note not to let the men hunt any rabbits, they will have fish, Roland is keen to learn and he's old enough to learn. He headed back to his tent, grabs a line and tackle box and calls for Roland, who is sitting meters away drawing shapes in the dirt with a stick, "C'mon, lets go catch some fish for dinner."

"Alright." Roland pushed himself up from the ground, "Can we ask Henry if he wants to come too?" His boy sounds too excited to say no to him, so Robin concedes, "Let me call Regina and see if they'll join us at the lake in the park."


	5. Chasing Away The Darkness

Camelot is magnificent. From this view he could see all the grounds around the castle as he stood in front of the window, red banners snapping in the the cool mid-summer wind. The pale moon high in the sky. It's late, or early depending on how you look at it. mists making the water around the castle eerie. He pictures Zelena in the dungeons, feels a shiver, he has no sympathy for her, not after what she did.

Suddenly arms wrap around his torso, a small warm weight against his back. Her voice rough from slumber, "Can't sleep?" he's been awake for an hour or so, left Regina sleeping soundly in the solid wood four poster bed of their temporary accommodations. He had been tossing and turning, and had not wanted to wake her, but she's awake now.

"I have a lot on my mind." Robin sighs; he covers her hands. Her head cushioned on his shoulder as she leans into him. The chill he felt before, melting away from her warmth

She whispers into his ear, "Like?"

"What happens if Zelena manages to escape? What if she tries to hurt us again, what if this time she targets our children." He turns pulling her into his arms.

"It wouldn't be the first time." Regina's gaze doesn't meet his eyes. Her eyes trained on something else, shadows for all he knows.

"I know that's what I'm worried about. She won't change, you know that." The night air making goosebumps on her skin, Robin moves his hands to rub them up and down her arms, a warming touch. She is barely covered, bare arms, flowing sleeping gown billowing down around her legs, long dark hair wavy around her shoulders.

"I know. If she tries anything again she'll face one of my fireballs that's all." her tone is dark, a hint of malicious anger bubbling on the surface, he doesn't want that; doesn't want her to do anything that might make her regress back into darkness. Tentatively he suggests, "You defeated her once using light magic, maybe you can again."

Regina scoffs, "That was a fluke, I don't even know how I did that." she slips out of his arms, moves closer to the window, her arms wrapping protectively around herself.

"Regina." he wants to follow her, but he relents.

"Dark magic is all I have." She sounds like she's reciting lies she's repeatedly told herself. Robin wonders if she actually doubts herself or if she's just used to selling herself short; likely both. She has great potential, he has seen it himself first hand. Robin feels an overwhelming need to comfort her, to chase away all the darkness permeating in her soul, poisoning her thoughts.

"I think you have light magic, you just need to learn how to use it." Robin is confident, for hers is waning, and he knows she needs this, needs someone to reassure her that everything will be alright even if he himself doesn't believe it Optimism aside, they have been through enough in the last few weeks for even his hope to flicker. Regina is facing towards the window, her back to him, the moon grazing her silhouette, it looks to him like she's almost giving off an aura of light, but he knows it's only the illusion of light.

Her voice is faint almost distant, "I'm not that kind of person, I'm not good like Snow or Emma. You've seen how dark my heart is, it's not pure. " Robin knows that's not the truth.

"I talked to Belle during the year we couldn't remember and she told me everything."

"Then you know how I locked her up- " Anger flashes in her voice. Regina turns to face him, the light is no longer in front of her, he can barely make out her features but he knows by the tremble in her voice that she's close to tears. He's had many chats with Belle about the Queen during the missing year. He knew all about Regina's dark and immutable past misdeeds, but she had evolved.

"-She also told me about how you changed. She told me about the failsafe and how you were going to give up your own life to keep everyone safe." Robin interrupted. He steps towards her now, closing the gap he wouldn't allow himself to do before. He leaves a small gap between them still, a little unsure of whether she wants him close or not.

"That wasn't exactly noble, I wanted to do it for selfish reasons, so Henry wouldn't see me as a villain."

"Henry told me you stopped Pan's curse, you gave him happy memories with Emma, knowing that he's forget about you." He makes sure that he has her eye contact before he says, "He sees you as a hero."

Regina closes the rest of the gap between them, resting her head against his chest, his arms come up to wrap around her again, pulling her close. "I don't even know where to start."

"I'm sure this Merlin will have the answer."

"We just need to find him."

"I believe in you." Robin tilts his head down, places a kiss along her hairline. "Come, lets go back to sleep." He pulls her backwards towards the nest of blankets, he lies down first and then urges her to lie down too, when she crawls into the bed beside him, her back to him, he nestles in close, the worry that had him anxious all but lifted. No matter what fate had in store for them around the corner, they would deal with it together.


	6. Frills and Girly Things (Regal Peanut)

There was a reason Regina chose to adopt a boy 12 years ago. She had thought about the possibility of having a daughter, had wanted it actually, but it felt wrong, there would always be that fear hanging over her head that she would make the same mistakes her mother did.

She did have a daughter, not really, but she did allow herself even for the briefest of time to think that she could have been a mother to Snow, to lavish the little girl who she had saved from a runaway horse to fill that void in her life, but that was short lived, the guilt and anger over Daniel's death making sure that she was ever able to let her into her heart, the imp was no help either, whispering her insecurities into her ear. It was likely for the best that Emma had delivered a boy and not a girl if it was her destiny to make a home for the child, until it's mother came to break her curse and take everything away.

There wasn't any room to dream about a little princess when she was happy with her little prince, but there is room to dream now. As she holds her day old niece in her arms, this baby that came into her life in a way that had her completely unprepared, months earlier than they had expected her.

She has nothing but a blanket, fuzzy pink with stars, given by the hospital, Regina will have to buy her some things. Robin being as limited in means as he is, it's not his fault really. He would have found a way to make due in their land, but this one, a place that he did not choose, has given him little opportunity to earn an income, that is something that's going to have to be amended as soon as things settle down. Maybe she could arrange for Emma and David to take him on in the sheriff's station.

There is a little shop in town that sells things for children,Mother Goose Children's Consignment, the bells above the door jingle when Regina walks in, a little old woman about Granny's age greets her, "it's been awhile since I've seen you Mayor Mills, Henry must be grown out of these things by now?"

"He is, I'm shopping for my niece" The woman leaves her to browse, the shop has a large collection of things that are pink and frilly, clothes meant for modern day princesses, but that's not what her niece is. Flashes of her mother momentarily invade her mind, choosing dress after dress, not bothering to consider that Regina would rather wear riding pants and jacket than a dress fit for a queen. No, she will not do that to her own child, so she picks up a few sleepers, and some practical infant wear, some warm things, some leather shoes, not that she needs shoes as an infant, nursing blankets. When she has all the things that a an infant could need she heads to the cash. There is a bookcase filled with stuffed animals behind the woman ringing up her total. Some brown with a whisp of white catches her eye, a little brown stuffed horse with a white star between its eyes. she doesn't want to be her mother, but having something that reminds her not to make the same mistakes might help, and her niece could have a piece of her to carry with her even if she doesn't know it, She buys the stuffed animal.

In is in it's own way, she's letting this girl fill an empty spot in her heart that was lost so long ago. Piece by piece her heart is becoming whole again, starting with a baby girl and stuffed horse.


	7. Missing Year Angst Prompt

Angst prompt: (a bit fluffy) You're severely depressed these days and I'm too scared to leave you alone so yes this is the only solution please accept my hugs.

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It's been ten months since they returned to this place, Her castle has become a squatting place for displaced citizens or the Enchanted forest, all had mostly moved on, except for the thief and his men. The Snow and David have taken on their former royal roles, despite one being a common farmer , but no one else seems to care they treat David like a king, and Snow like a Queen and the castle- her castle, is filled with nobles and royal brown nosers. I life sentence of isolation doesn't seem so bad anymore. The only place Regina feels any sort of sanctuary is in her family crypt below the castle. No one else knows about this place and no one will bother her here so she finds that she comes here more and more. Rubs her fingers against the stone of her mother's coffin, it's cold, the coffin is empty, Cora is not there, her father is not there, Henry is not there. She wishes she could push back the lid, crawl inside and let the darkness and the cold consume her. No one else knows about this place…. Save for one, she hears his soft footfalls against the marble, she doesn't need to turn around to know who intrudes on her privacy, "Nothing could be worse than this" he doesn't say anything, so she continues, "I had a sinking suspicion that one day I would have to pay for what I've done but this seems like a cruel type of punishment"

"You were cruel."Robin says in a matter of fact way that raises her ire, he always knows how to push her buttons but she has no energy to verbally spar with him today, normally she would be quick with a retort, but today she is just feeling defeated. She only manages a half assed, "Why are you still here? You could have left months ago. Done us all a favor."

He steps into her peripheral vision, but still keeps his distance, testing her "Yes I could have left long ago, but I didn't because I need to be here, for you." he's too insufferably saccharine, when he's not instigating her or acting smug. She prefers him when he's being instigating or smug, because then she easily pretend that she dislikes him more than she does.

Regina scoffs,"For me?" Why's that?" No one needs her, and that's why she came down here in the first place, because she's without the person she loves most.

"Because you need someone." His reply is genuine and accurate.

She rolls her eyes, "I don't need anything."

"You need someone who knows what you are going through, and I bet you are sick of hearing the Prince and Princesses hope speeches." He steps closer but still keeping a respectful distance, he waits for her to invite him to come closer, and she does, she lets down her guard, they are alone, there is no one to see that she is suffering, to see that she is weak. Even though her and Robin have had their issues, Regina trusts him more than anyone else in this castle, and she knows that he would never make her feel inferior in front of anyone else. He takes her verbal lashings, lets her win, it gives her a little boosts, sometimes she can go too far, she says things that seem to wound him too deep, but he always understands that it's not really about him at all.

"So you think that you can do better?" it's not quite banter, not quite flirting. They have grown close there is no question, she's contemplated kissing him, there have been moments where the tension between them is very clear even to them, but it feels too intimate, like if they did kiss everything they had would change completely. And she's not quite ready for that, But she will take this, what they have, heated banter and quiet moments where they seem to see through one another, there is something there, something deep, roots that have latched themselves into her heart, if he really did leave she would be heartbroken. A part of her needs him.

"I can try " "If you don't mind can I?" She's puzzled as to what he's asking for but he opens his arms and steps towards her and it soon becomes becomes very clear that he intends to hug her, but she doesn't want to step away, moments ago all she wanted was the darkness and the cold, but he is warm and the lure for human contact is just too strong so she lets him step forward closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. "Is this okay?"

She lets so then, leans her head against his chest and she can't control herself when her eyes start to burn and tears begin to fall, he holds her close for a few very long minutes, He nuzzles his nose against her hair and whispers, "I'm worried about you, I don't want think about you under a sleeping curse, trapped forever, promise me you won't think about that anymore.." She manages to reign in her tears, but negative thoughts assault her mind, about how he must think her weak and she should stop this madness now, the urge to use a biting remark about him, to re-establish that she's in control of whatever this is and she doesn't need him… but that dissipates slightly when he deflects his early statement, "My son would be heartbroken, he cares about you so much."

"For Roland" She knows it's more than about Roland, but she's okay letting him think she didn't see right through him. Tomorrow they can go back to hating each other to re-establish their repartee but just for this moment she will let him hug her and and comfort her. _For Roland of course._


End file.
